Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-09
HOLIDAY IN COREA.
THE KINGS PIous VISITS 70 HIS AN.
CRsToRg roMBs.
A Gay Procession Through the City
.. strsets-Qneer People Of the
Kingdom, 90.

hifBaom, Gos
| The other day all Seoul was treated TO
| one Of It's choicest sights, writes q corre-
spondent from the capital city OF Corea 10
the New York Post. The King seldom
| goes outside the palace enclosure. There
| are occasions, however, on which he leaves
| The protection OF the palace walls. These
occasions come twice year-tn the spring
and autumn when be goes 10 worship his
ancestors. There are two very wide streets
| in Seoul-one leading 10 the palace gates,
F! and ole at right angles to that, passing
Through the city TO the large east gate.
| The latter is pretty well filled with
| booths and sheds. Before the King comes,
| Ou', however, all booths aud shops on the
.trcet are removed, and the entire street Is
! swept and cleared from side 10 side. IL
then presents a fine appearance, being
wider than the Bowery and nicely graded
80 as 10 be highest at the centre. Along
these two streets, then, the King passes a.
he goes to do honor to the memory OF his
anceslors-a thing most obligatory on a
good CoDiueian. II Is said that the glimpse
| Of the city thus afforded is the only one the
| King ever gets, and that he hardly una
| gints that Seoul has any street diff
| f,Ient from the two be sees, and so
! is ignorant OF the real condition OF the city
and It's needs. | have 1t on good authority
that his advisers believe il TO be their duty
| 10 shield HIM rs far as possible from know
| ledge that may perplex him, in order that
| he may be saved worry and vexatlon. AL
| though he is q young man-not much over
| tbrty-the oldest courtiers and subjects
address bin as Father" which to COnfrl-
clans means that all care and trouble should
| be removed n possible. Hence he has no
means OF knowing the actual condition OF
| his people, for all bad news reaches him be-
| reit OF its unpleasant shading.
once stated that doubted whether
| tWO-stoTy native house existed in COrea.
My doubt has been removed, inasmuch as
now know that on the main street there
are few buildings used as stores which
have two stories. One OF these was Sc
cured for the day for q number OK the for
egners in Seoul, and our party was among
those thus favored. Arrived ut the place,
we found that we had been misHiormed as
TO the time when the King would move,
and that bis Majesty bad passed; so, II we
would see him, We must await his return.
We could see the end OF the procession
far of down the street, and so settled our
selves TO chat until the King should return.
The ladies were placed at the windows in
the choice positions, and 1t was not long
before they had
An ADNIRING AUDIENCE
reaching out to the middle Of the road. Our
kuissos were kept busy preventing the
crowd from crushing the sedan chairs in
which we were brought to the place. OF
course at such times many people come in
from The country, and az the sight OF
foreigners Is greater novelty to them
than to the inhabitants Of the city, the eoun-
trymen predOminated in the crowd.
A little daughter Of one OF the mis-
slOnaIies was IN the window, and as one OF
the gentlemen played with and leased her
the crowd in the street watched and were
pleased with and laughed at her antics. A
Corcan crowd is generally goOd-natured.
and il is said that to foreigners they will
always give way, considering that the lat
ter are the nations guests and must be so
treated.
As ives sat studying the faces IN the crowd
We noticed 4 sudden breaking up, and saw
advancing up the street on the extreme
sides file OF men, some bearing guns;
others had poles little larger than broom
sticks and seven feet long, and still Others
bore huge paddles six feet in length, while
with poles and paddles they beat the
masses back 10 the sides OF the street.
From this time on continuous file
Of servants and soldiers marched on
what would be at home the sidewalk, ruth
lesSy thrusting back or knocking TO the |
wall the uCkless or impudent intruder. II |
Is indicative Of the Difference paid the for |
eigner that while native chairs and the at |
tendants OF native men Of rank were
nod off tho cbafrs
wants were allowed to stand, reaching out |
from the wall OF the building into the |
street al least rod, while the flies Of sol |
diers had to break ranks TO avoid the OBJ |
stacle thus formed i'm the street. ;esepa'oHf@ |
The next thing we saw was the placing |
Of baskets OF fresh soil at intervals along |
ile street. On inquiry we learned that this |
was to be spTnkled or spread in the middle |
o. the road, as 1t would not do for the |
King to be carried over soil trodden by the |
fest Of the common people. Soon we no. |
iiced men spreading the dirt thus brought, |
while an old man and an aide, with |
escort, rode along, whose sole duty it Is
TO superintend the laying OF the soil |
when the King goes out. After this |
there passed companies OF soldiers, cav |
airy and infantry, bowmen and swords |
men, among the last OF whom were men |
wearing sleeves tipped with red, the object |
Of which was said TO be that in battle they |
may wire their bloody swords on their |
sleeves and not be sickened by the CORY |
stain. In advance OF the bowman stands Of |
arrows were borne aloft, ard throughout |
the procession was profusion OF flags and |
streamers, some emblematic, and Others |
similar to our own 'rC gimental cOlOrs. |
Many OF these flags were magnificent, and |
,aIIaH from, thn 1a1inu fnuu %
loud admiration. After these bodies came |
. number Of generals Of the army, each |
guarded by files OF soldiers reaching across |
tie street. Each Of the generals was
mounted on beautiful though small |
horse, and elevated nearly foot above
the horses back. Each general was held |
on his horse by two attendants, and they |
are said TO 90 into battle thus supported. |
The way in which Coreans are mounted |
makes it impossible for any but most |
expert riders to 90 at faster gait than |
swift walk; and when foreigners ride |
along the streets at a trot. clnter, or galop,
they are watched with interest, and such |
remarks are passed as, Why don't they fall |
OF: How 90 they keep on!
After we were nearly tired Watching /
troop sfler troop OF soldiers e.corting big |
generals and little ones, we heard the
strains OF a Corean band mingled with the
sHRILL NOTES or BUGLEs,
and at once knew that the King approached.
some distance In advance OF him was car
ried by eighteen bearers large but empty
char. We learned that this is always eur
rled before him, and Is a custom handed
DOWN from a time when an attempt at as
asslnation was made. Before that time the
King was carried In a closed chair very
near the bead OF the procession, and ii ar
rows were sent through the first chair, il
might be presumed that the King was
dead. After that a second chair was
always carried, and 1t was not known
in which the King sat. II is cOnstruc-
lively not known now in which chair the
King OF Corea sits, but as both chairs on
this occasion were open, the stratagem could
deceive no one, and 1t has simply degene-
rated into custom. After this first chair,
which, by the way, was well guarded, came.
the Kings palace-chair used for transit in
the palace-grounds), also guarded, and
finally came the King himself, preceded by
the bearers Of the royal umbrella. THIS is
or blue silk, and resembles ball more than
an umbrella. All about the King were the
Of the Corean band. -.
The King sat in large rooted open chair,
carried by twenty-four men, and was 10
full view OF all who lined the street. No
applause met the ears-it seems not TO be
the custom TO cheer on such occasions. He
Fat looking steadily before him, and, so
far as we could see, never turned his